Thursday, 23 December 2010

It's been an eventful year, a coalition government, an oil spill, Lady Gaga's meat dress, ash cloud, snow freeze, you name it, we've had it.It's also been a year of discovery and rediscovery, nostagia and innovation. I won't be listing my top 10 or 20 albums here, you've seen it way too many times. Instead it'll be a collection of singles, EPs and albums in a random order that resembles my journey through 2010. (Note: no Beach House, Arcade Fire or any of that sort).

This is the first track I went nuts for this year. If you haven't heard it yet, it's about time you get acquintanted with The Knife's most adventurous and fruitful collaboration with some opera singers and classical composers commissioned by a Danish performance art group about Charles Darwin's evolution theory.

These New Puritans - We Want War
The most accompolished and daring track off the whole album Hidden. TNP knows how to impress, the video is a guaranteed hit with any Matrix fans.

Gil Scott-Heron - I'm New HereFirst there's the attempt from Nas to "remix" New York Is Killing Me, hit single from Scott-Heron's poetic and big comeback after 13 years on a long hard road to redemption from drugs and imprisonment. Last month Jamie xx brought out his version. The full-length album is highly recommended, for quiet solitary.

Liars - Sisterworld
This is what pop music sounds like if we were on plant Mars, where there are only angry scruffy men in cheque shirts.

Glasser - Ring
This is what pop music should sound like if Lady Gaga was never born, Beyonce never shaked her booty and Shakira never learned English.Glasser - Home by Ragged Words

Matthew Dear - Black CityIf you are a man in your early/mid 30s comfortable on the dance floor anywhere in Europe as long as they are not playing Bollywood soundtracks and prefers ghostlysounds of Eno and David Byrne then you'd love Black City and possibly Dear's 2007 album Asa Breed.

If you are a girl into deep and playful droning male vocals, some mild techno and serious head nodding then you'd also love this album, front to back.

Teengirl Fantasy -Dancing in Slow Motion ft. Shannon Funchess
If you've heard plenty of How to Dress Well, Teebs and Forest Swords, you'd love what you find in Teengirl Fantasy's highly anticipated debut album 7AM.
Blending plenty half speed old school R&B and pop with a good dose of synth flutters, this is dream pop at its best.

Solar Bears - She Was Coloured In
Such a shame that I couldn't include these guys in my Bear-named bands lineup post. This Irish duo started in early 2009 who, like Teengirl Fantasy dudes, also met at college for sharing a love of world cinema and sound programming. Having managed to bring out one EP and one LP in the space of a few months, Solar Bears is possibly my second favourite new entry of 2010. Check out Twin Stars, Primary Colours At The Back of My Mind, among the best.

Lorn - Nothing Else

No comparison has been drawn between Lorn and Hudson Mohawke, but somehow the two connected in my brain. Not when I listen to their albums but when I realised that both have made big impressions this year despite being camera-shy, out-of-town (Lorn in Illinois and Hud Mo in Glasgow - for better or worse?) compared to the likes of Skream and Nosaj Thing.
This is not the best album of the year, but certainly one of my favourites on a lonely winter night in my bedroom when it's hailing snow and rain outside. Your heart grows stronger and your muscles harden with the beats and beeps coming out of Army of Fear and Cherry Moon.

Lorn - 'Nothing Else' Album Mix by BRAINFEEDERJames Blake - Limit To Your Love
This is predictable but for good reasons. If there's one song you should listen this Christmas, it's James Blake's version of Feist's Limit To Your Love, definitely the best song to end your 2010.Full post...